One Night To Change Everything
by springofthedandelions
Summary: Hermione's sixth year and anger at Ron and Lavender has her up late in a corridor somewhere in the castle. Malfoy finds her and raw feelings are brought out into the open. Rated M for a reason. Now complete!
1. Unexpected Company

Hermione Granger was a sensible girl. That's not to say that she didn't get up to...mischief once in a while, especially with Ron and Harry as friends, but for the most part she was a responsible and mature sixth year student. So the fact that she was sitting in a corridor in the middle of the night when she should be in bed sleeping – if not sleeping then studying – surprised even herself. The day had been a horrible one – Ron had sat directly in front of her and snogged Lavender senseless and to top it all off, Snape had taken off points for Gryffindor simply because Hermione answered a question. As she sat on the cold floor, her angry face was lit up by the moonlight. Just the thought of Ron and Lavender had her fuming once more and her fists clenched at her sides as she remembered it. She glanced around the empty corridor, pulling her coat tightly around her and shivering slightly.

"Granger?" The voice startled her and she jumped violently, looking around for the source of the noise. Someone stood in the shadows, tall and slim and she didn't recognize him at first until he stepped forward into the light.

"Malfoy? What are you doing out of bed?" She asked, forgetting momentarily who she was talking to.

"I might ask you the same question." He replied and she noticed there was no harshness in his tone, something that was usually heard whenever he spoke. She watched warily as he sat next to her – not close enough to touch, because after all she was a 'mudblood',but close enough that it made her wonder what he was doing.

"I couldn't sleep." Hermione said simply, not elaborating because why would she? Malfoy was no friend of hers and she suppressed a laugh at the mental image of herself and Malfoy laughing together like her, Ron and Harry did. They sat in silence for what seemed like hours, and Hermione was sure she had fallen asleep and was dreaming that the blond haired boy sat next to her. She chanced a sideways glance at him, remembering Harry's new theory that Malfoy was a death eater but his long sleeves prevented her from seeing his arms.

"What did the Weasel do then?" His voice startled her for the second time that night and when she turned to look at him she saw him hide a smirk.

"What are you talking about, Malfoy?" She snapped and he ignored it. "I don't even know why you're sitting here with me. You're supposed to hate me, remember?" She turned away and stared at the wall opposite her.

"Supposed to, yes." Hermione felt something inside her snap at his words and she looked at him, taking in his hunched profile and sunken in eyes. He didn't look up at her gaze but kept staring at his legs that were crossed in front of him and Hermione wondered who this person was in front of her, because there was no way it was the same Malfoy she had grown up knowing.

"You never answered my question earlier. What are you doing out of bed?" She asked again, once more turning back to stare at the stone wall. He didn't answer straight away and she waited patiently. It crossed her mind what Harry and Ron would think if they saw her sat so close to Malfoy and talking so calmly to him. She surprised herself by finding she didn't care.

"I couldn't sleep." Malfoy said, repeating what she had said just minutes ago and she felt his eyes on her. She turned her head and the intensity of his stare shocked her, his cool grey eyes boring into hers but she couldn't tear hers away. "What do you see in him?"

Hermione stayed looking at him, the question echoing in her head and she knew of course who he was talking about. Their whole year knew about Ron and Lavender – it was hard to ignore them – and Hermione was sure all of Gryffindor saw how it affected her. But for Malfoy to pick up on it was something that seemed strange to her.

"I don't know." She said in a small voice, partly angry at herself for even answering the question. The other part of her felt a slight sense of relief to talk to someone about it; her only close friends were Ron and Harry, and though he was her best friend, this was something she wasn't comfortable talking to Harry about.

"He doesn't deserve you." If Hermione hadn't watched him say it she never would have believed it had come out of Malfoy's mouth. He refused to look at her and she shook her head, utterly confused at the conversation they were having. "I'm serious. He is nothing, he has nothing, and treats you like rubbish – and look at the airhead he's with."

"I'm not sure I'm following you, Malfoy. What is it to do with you?" Hermione asked and she felt a jolt of what she recognized to be excitement as he shuffled the slightest bit closer to her. He still wasn't returning her stare and not for the first time that night she was confused as to who he was. It seemed there was another whole side of Malfoy none of them had ever met before.

"It's nothing to do with me, Granger." He said and when he didn't elaborate Hermione sighed.

"Well, this conversation has gone nowhere. I think I'm going to head back to my common room." She said and made to stood up but a warm hand on her arm stopped her. She looked down at the pale fingers that closed around her upper arm and then slid her eyes up to his grey ones. "Malfoy, what is going on?"

He didn't answer, but continued to watch her and she grew uncomfortable under his stare. "I don't know what I mean, Granger."

"You are making no sense." She said, aware that he had not yet removed his hand but had slackened his grip ever so slightly. Malfoy made no move to take his hand away and Hermione left it where it was.

As she continued to stare into his eyes she was vaguely aware that his face was inching closer to her own and she had only a second to register her shock as his lips touched hers before she found herself kissing him back. Their lips brushed lightly, Hermione feeling his hand move from her arm and on to her back, she felt a jolt of desire run through her and it frightened her slightly. She pulled away, breathless already and looked into his eyes trying desperately to read what was hiding within them.

"Why have you let your guard down?" She asked and she watched the words pierce him, a pain on his face that she would never know about. She knew in that moment that whatever had just happened, and whatever was about to happen, would never happen again. Tonight, for whatever reason, Malfoy had let the walls down and Hermione had seen him show feelings – however fleetingly – that she was sure he would never admit to feeling. He didn't answer her, but moved forward to kiss her again and this time Hermione let herself be taken away, her own thoughts of pain in regards to Ron floating away as their kiss deepened.

Hermione felt herself being pushed backwards slightly and went with it, one of Malfoy's hands holding her head as she lay down on the ground, surprised that it didn't feel cold. Her two hands wrapped themselves in his blonde hair and she was pleased to find it soft through her fingers. As his other hand roamed down to her school skirt, she felt a gasp escape her mouth when his hand slowly stroked the skin of her thigh. He pulled away from her briefly, looking into her face and asking the question without speaking. Hermione thought on it for only a second before reaching her head up to kiss him once more, her tongue meeting his and they kissed furiously, the energy between them electric.

Malfoy's hand resumed its path up her skirt and Hermione enjoyed the feel of it on her bare skin, feeling goosebumps appear across her body. A small whimper escaped her mouth as his fingers brushed the outside of her briefs and his mouth separated from hers leaving Hermione breathless. She thought for a second of where they were and the consequences if someone came across them but as Malfoy lifted her top slightly and kissed her stomach, all thoughts were driven from her mind and she looked down to see him lifting her skirt up, his own trousers already undone.

This was not something special for him and she knew it wasn't for her either. His fingers teased her lips and she watched him lick them clean, shuddering slightly at what was to come. She knew this would be a one-time thing and that seemed to make it all the more exciting. She had no intentions of pursuing him or wanting anything from him; this was purely for the physical act and though it was not something sensible Hermione would normally do, the feelings Malfoy was bringing up in her were hard to put aside. She was brought crushing back to reality as he slipped one finger inside her and she moaned, her hand over her mouth to stifle the sound.

Hermione's eyes focused on the ceiling as Malfoy removed his finger and replaced it with something else and she moaned again, louder this time, at the intrusion. He slowly entered her, his breath shallow as his eyes focused on her breasts; he used one hand to lift her top up and exposed her breasts, his hand now squeezing them tightly and causing Hermione to whimper. She felt herself growing increasingly excited and as he picked up the pace and began to plunge roughly into her, her moans escaped and echoed in the corridor.

Faster and faster he entered her and her breasts bobbed with each thrust, Malfoy watching them intently, his breaths now coming in short bursts. Hermione sounded similar and as he pounded her harder, she gasped at how deep he felt inside her. She felt herself reaching climax and her head rolled back slightly, her eyes screwing shut as her orgasm rocked her. She felt Malfoy come at the same time, the moisture between her legs warm and sticky and she felt ashamed almost instantly. Malfoy rolled off, doing up his trousers and watching carefully as Hermione sat up and pulled her skirt and top back down.

There was a silence and the pair sat in the corridor, Hermione still hearing her own moans echoing and she felt her cheeks blush a deep red that would give the Weasley's a run for their money at the thought of what she just did. Without warning, Malfoy stood up and Hermione looked up at him, a lump in her throat.

"I think you know that nobody can – "

"I know." She interrupted and he nodded curtly, turning and walking away. Hermione waited until his footsteps had disappeared before the tears that had formed in her eyes fell and regret consumed her.


	2. Under Her Skin

As morning broke and the sun streamed in through her window, it took Hermione a moment before she realised why she felt so horrible. Then in an instant the previous night came crashing back to her and she closed her eyes again as she remembered what she and Malfoy had done. She pulled her blankets over her head and ignored the sounds of the other girls getting up and heading down to breakfast, thankful that it was a Saturday and she didn't have to be up. Her stomach twisted as she recalled everything that happened between the Slytherin and herself and she felt her cheeks blush deeply.

How could she have been so stupid? Malfoy repulsed her, sickened her and she had never thought of him as anything other than someone she hated with all of her might. Now instead of being disgusted by him she felt disgusted by what they had done. They shared a connection now, one that she could never break or erase and she knew it would haunt her forever. As the last girl left her dormitory she sat up, letting out a small cry as tears formed in her eyes once more and she felt at a loss for what to do. If she stayed in bed both Harry and Ron would wonder what was wrong with her and most likely send someone up to check on her. But the alternative was heading down to breakfast to face them and she was sure her face would give her away. There was also the fact that she would have to face Malfoy, or at least be in the same room as him and that was something that scared her.

Feeling incredibly brave, Hermione climbed out of bed and got dressed slowly, not wanting to rush the process and feeling like she could quite happily stay in bed forever but she knew she would only go over and over what had happened. Going down to breakfast and pretending like she was excited for the Quidditch match that day would help take her mind off of it. As she descended the staircase and walked into the empty common room, she took a deep breath, steeling herself for the Great Hall. The portrait swung open and her breath hitched in her throat; Malfoy was stood outside the entrance. With a deep blush on her cheeks she stared at him, wondering if he was remembering the same things she was but his face showed nothing. He didn't smile but waited for her to recover from the shock and fell into step along side her as she started walking.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Hermione asked, trying desperately to keep her tone even; she didn't want him to know she was upset, scared and a million other emotions. He didn't answer straight away but kept walking with her and as they neared the Great Hall, Hermione stopped; there was no way she wanted to walk in with him. "Well?" He sighed deeply at her prompt and didn't meet her eyes.

"Listen, Granger. I don't know what happened last night – I mean, I know what _happened _but something – "

"Something else went on between us, I know. What about it?" She interrupted, her patience running out and she folded her arms across her chest.

"It's probably a big ask but I don't want anyone to know – "

"I know that, Malfoy. You mentioned that yesterday." She fixed him with what she hoped was a cold stare and he didn't flinch.

"Can you stop interrupting me?" He growled, anger in his eyes and Hermione cringed. "I don't want anyone to know about my feelings for you." He finished and Hermione gasped softly at his words.

"What feelings? You used me last night and you know it." She retorted, recovering quickly from his comment and he shook his head.

"I didn't use you. If you think about it, Granger, you used me. You were sad, lonely, upset over that stupid Weasel and who was there to comfort you?" Malfoy spat and she realised that the Malfoy she had seen last night was not the one who was in front of her.

"I didn't ask you to 'comfort' me, if you can call it that!" She replied, her voice rising and Malfoy took hold of her wrist harshly and pulled her into a nearby classroom, slamming the door behind them. "I don't want to have this conversation with you, Malfoy. Last night meant nothing and it never will."

Hermione turned on her heel, about to leave the room when Malfoy put his hand on the door, preventing her from opening it. "You say that, Granger, but you don't mean it. You can leave this room and never look back but I will always be in the back of your mind. You liked what I gave you, what I made you do," His voice came closer and she felt his breath on her neck; she shivered. "One day – soon – you are going to see that everything I've just said is right and you will come crawling back."

He took his hand away but Hermione stayed where she was, her blood pounding furiously in her head and she felt dizzy for a second. How was it that Malfoy, the idiot who had made the last five years at school horrible, seemed to know her better than she knew herself? She knew deep down what he said was true; his breath on her neck had proved it – she wanted him. She turned to face him, biting her lip slightly as she thought about what she wanted to say.

"What feelings for me?" She asked and he faltered for only a moment before sneering at her.

"Does it come as a surprise to you that after all this time of hating you and your stupid friends that I have realised you're not that bad?" He said and she laughed coldly. "You can laugh, Granger, but it would take a troll not to realise how – " He looked her up and down and slowly, teasingly, licked his lips. " – appealing you are. It's only a pity for you that Weasel didn't notice it before me."

"You disgust me." She said but still she didn't leave. She glared at him a moment more, her back up against the door before he moved towards her. With his head inches away from hers, he smirked.

"You'll never be free of me now, Granger. I've got you right where I want you, haven't I? Even now, as I speak, you're thinking about last night and how _good _it felt. You want more." His words hit home and she closed the gap between them, her lips attacking his with a ferociousness she never knew she possessed. He responded in kind, his body pushing hers harshly against the door and she let out a small whimper at the hardness between his legs. His tongue found hers and his hand was in between her legs rubbing her through her jeans. She finally found sense and pushed him off, her cheeks flushed and her lips swollen. He laughed loudly and ran his fingers through his hair.

"What do you want from me, Malfoy?" Hermione asked, her hand now on the door handle.

"You." He said simply and pushed past her, opening the door and disappearing down the corridor. Hermione slammed the door shut behind him and sank to the floor, tears now falling down her face. She hated herself for letting him get to her, hated herself for how good he made her feel. It made her angry to think he could get away with treating her the way he did and with a gasp she realised she had one up on him. He clearly had some sort of feelings for her and as much as she suddenly wanted him – needed him – to do similar things as he had done the previous night, she knew then she could work it the way she wanted. As much as she felt at his mercy, he was at hers just as much. Wiping her eyes and flattening her hair, she stepped out and made her way to the Great Hall; if she was lucky there would still be some toast.

"Hermione, where have you been?" Harry's voice called her over and she sat down next to him, avoiding his eye and hoping her lips weren't still swollen.

"Oh – um – I slept in." She said shortly and took a piece of toast. Ginny sat opposite her and she felt as if she had just interrupted something between them. She looked up and caught Ginny's eye, unable to hide from the stare the younger girl gave her and Hermione was sure Ginny saw everything that had happened in that one stare. She looked down at her toast and ate quietly for a moment, a loud giggle bringing her out of her thoughts.

"Oh, Won Won!" With a shudder, Hermione realised that giggle belonged to Lavender and she saw that Ron was sat on the other side of Harry, something she had failed to see when she sat down. Her face set hard she turned away and focused on her toast. Harry sighed from next to her and stood up, gesturing for Ron to do the same; it was almost time for the Quidditch match. Lavender trailed after Ron and Hermione watched with a sour face.

"It's disgusting, isn't it?" Ginny said from across the table and Hermione looked at her.

"Why aren't you playing today?" She asked and Ginny held up her hand which was wrapped in a bandage.

"I sprained my wrist at practice, so I'm just watching for today." The youngest Weasley told her and Hermione nodded, finishing her toast just as food started to disappear. The two girls stood up in unison and walked out of the Great Hall together. Silently they made their way down to the pitch, Hermione lost in her thoughts.

"Are you okay, Hermione?" Ginny asked when they were stood in the stands waiting for the game to start. Hermione's head snapped around to look at Ginny and the red head stared at her intensely.

"Fine." She said shortly, turning back to the game. As much as it would make her feel better if she told someone, there was no way she could tell anyone. Ginny especially wouldn't understand and she plastered a smile on her face. This seemed to satisfy Ginny and they two girls watched the game in silence.

The game went on and Gryffindor scored over and over, with Hufflepuff having no chance of getting one in; all they needed was Harry to find the snitch and it would be over. Faking a headache, Hermione left the Quidditch pitch and rushed back to the school, her mind on her bed up in the Gryffindor tower. As she entered the castle and passed the Great Hall, a noise made her turn around and she cringed as she saw Malfoy leaning against the wall behind her. She ignored him and turned up the steps to head towards her area of the castle but footsteps told her he had followed. She picked up the pace but it was no good, she didn't even know why she was hurrying away from him and as he caught up and pulled her once again into a nearby classroom – thankfully empty – she cursed him silently under her breath.

"Let me go." Hermione said through gritted teeth as Malfoy pushed her once more up against the closed door, one hand on her wrist and the other under her chin. He lifted her head up and lowered his lips to her neck causing Hermione to gasp softly at his touch. She let him only for a second before pushing him off with all of her might. Wrenching the door open, she fled and ran down the corridor, not bothering to turn and see if he had followed or not. Tears began to fall down her face and she was grateful that the rest of the school was out at Quidditch. Frustrated, she wiped her tears and turned the corner to the Gryffindor common room but as she said the password, Malfoy appeared out of nowhere and followed her inside.

"What are you doing? You can't be in here!" She hissed, assuming a defensive pose that fooled neither of them. He smirked at her, his pale face making her shudder with disgust but she couldn't ignore the twinge of longing she felt and she hated herself immensely in that moment.

"Who says I can't, Granger?" He replied, slowly walking towards her and she backed up until she was at the girl's staircase. "You let me in, didn't you?"

"No, you followed me." She said, knowing that she could get up the staircase and he couldn't follow her there. She took one step up and watched him eye the stairs up. Part of her wanted to stay and see what he had to say, but the other half wished nothing more than to hide her head under her bed covers and it was that part that one. She turned quickly and rushed up the stairs feeling triumphant.

The feeling only lasted a moment before Malfoy came up behind her and pushed her into her empty dormitory. He glanced around and spotted the piles of books next to Hermione's bed and took her wrists, moving her over to her bed.

"How did you get in here?" She cried, anger on her face but she was aware she was not stopping him.

"Us Slytherin's learn a lot more than you do," He said before muttering a locking charm on the door and turning back to Hermione. She sat on the edge of her bed, biting her lip nervously and Malfoy sneered down at her. "Didn't I tell you that you were mine?"

"But I – " He smothered her mouth with a kiss and Hermione hated herself for melting into him, her tongue being the first to venture into the opposite's mouth. It was like torture; she hated him more than she had ever hated anyone yet he was able to make her feel so good and it was something she couldn't forget. She realised suddenly that he had pushed her back on to the bed and his hand was very quickly removing her jeans but instead of stopping him, she merely watched, a look of pain on her face as she watched his face. "You want this a lot, don't you?"

He looked up at her comment, pausing in his desperate attempt to remove her clothes and his face seemed naked, all of his emotions laid bare. "What?"

"You heard. You may think you've got me wrapped around your little finger, Malfoy, but you'll always be at the mercy of me whether you like it or not – because ultimately, I could hex you if I wanted, I could curse you into oblivion so that you could never f – " He shut her up with his wand and she narrowed her eyes angrily at him. Her mouth moved furiously but not sound came out and she kicked out angrily at him.

"Now, now, Granger. I think we've had enough of your little speech. If you want to believe that you're in charge, then so be it. But I've said it before and I'll say it again – you'll never be free of me." His voice came out like ice and Hermione glared at him, wishing more than anything that he was wrong. Their horrible game of cat and mouse would never be over it seemed and she hated that she had gotten herself into this mess. His hands lifted her top of and she lay there in her underwear, horribly embarrassed as she brought her hands to cover herself. "Hey, we'll have none of that."

With another swipe of his wand, her hands flew above her head and stayed there, no matter how hard she tried to move them. A single tear formed in the corner of her eye and Malfoy watched it trickle down her face.

"I know you want this, Granger. You fight me but really, that's what you enjoy, isn't it? You like it rough." His words were taunting and cut through Hermione harshly; she knew he was right. He removed his own clothes and Hermione eyed him hungrily, forgetting how much she hated him as longing rushed over her. Perhaps he saw it in her eyes or perhaps he was just sick of the waiting; he pulled her briefs off in one swift movement and crawled up her body to remove her bra. She lay naked in front of him, bound and silenced, but as he lowered his mouth to her breast and sucked hard on her nipple, she couldn't tear her eyes away from his grey ones and felt pleasure wash over her.

A moan escaped her lips and she realised the silencing curse had been lifted. It showed how right Malfoy was when she didn't scream out for help but continued to watch him work her breasts. Her hips lifted up and Malfoy smirked again.

"Need something, hm?" His hand traced shapes on her inner thighs as he drew teasingly close to her centre. She gasped loudly as a finger entered her and when he added another two, a loud moan that sounded nothing like her voice filled the room. He picked up the pace until his hand was pumping in and out in a steady rhythm and Hermione moaned with each thrust.

Sudden longing seemed to come over him and he removed his fingers, and much like he had the night before, entered her with something else. It seemed to be over in a matter of minutes; with her hands tied magically behind her head, she had no way of stifling the sounds that escaped her mouth. As Malfoy pounded hard into her, she cried out, the pleasure of it taking her away from the situation, away from the pain it caused her to enjoy this and she came loudly, her body jerking violently. When she finally came back down, she looked down to see that Malfoy had come at the same time and, panting heavily, he flopped onto the bed next to her.

"Let me make this clear." She said firmly, still gasping slightly and trying to catch her breath. "No one is to know about this. I'll do whatever you want, whenever you want – but nobody can know."

Malfoy let out a cruel laugh and looked up at her, with her hands tied and a look of defiance on her face he seemed to intimidate her without even trying. "Oh, Granger. You think I would _want_ to tell anyone?"

* * *

><p>I <strong>wasn't planning on a second chapter for this, it was originally a oneshot but a few people asked for one so I thought I would give it a go. I don't know if I'll go any further, I have my story The Flame to keep me busy but we'll see!<strong>


	3. Mixed Feelings

Despite her deep hatred for Malfoy, she had to admit that she enjoyed the routine they worked themselves into. All it took was a look across the hall or a nudge as they passed in the hallway and Hermione knew that meant they were to meet that night. They always met in the same corridor – like some sick reminder of the first time Hermione lost her control – and it would always be after dark. Once they met there, they would walk to the Room of Requirement which was always well equipped with a bed. They rarely spoke when they met up and Hermione preferred it this way – the less she knew about his feelings for her the better. They continued that way for the next few weeks and nobody seemed to notice a thing. It was a strange type of therapy; her nights with Malfoy always seemed to come on the days she was feeling the worst – the pleasure he made her feel cancelled out the pain she felt at seeing Ron and Lavender together.

It was one night after they had slept together that they held a proper conversation and it was purely because Hermione started crying. They had gotten into the habit of lying together for awhile before leaving and this particular night they had been there for so long Hermione was sure Malfoy had fallen asleep; his breathing was deep and when she glanced over at him next to her, his eyes were closed. It was as if it hit her all of a sudden; the reality of what she was doing. The tears formed in her eyes before she had a chance to stop them and they fell silently. She turned on her side, bringing the blankets up slowly – she didn't want to disturb Malfoy.

She had been over everything in her mind over and over. Every time this happened she would spend the next few days telling herself that it would never happen again, that she hated Malfoy and wouldn't let him do this to her. Hermione even thought about telling someone in an attempt to stop it but knew she couldn't. Despite the fact that she could hold it over Malfoy that he was the one who wanted her and had feelings for her, she knew deep down that he gave her something, a kind of release that she couldn't help but want. Before she knew it, sobs were wracking her body and she shoved her fist in her mouth, desperate not to make any noise.

"Are you crying?" Hermione almost laughed at the blunt way he asked the question but she didn't answer him, just wiped her eyes and let the sobs subside. She had no idea what the time was but knew they had been lying there for a long time and she turned over to face him in the darkness. She just saw his pale face in the dark and saw he was watching her closely.

"Do you care?" She asked in return and heard the hatred in her voice.

"If I said I did, you wouldn't believe me." He replied and she let out a small laugh. "I'm right though, aren't I?"

"Yes, Malfoy. You don't care about me at all. You take what you want and that's that."

"That's where you're wrong, Granger, which must be a first surely. I do care, whether you want to believe it or not and I can tell you why you were crying." She opened her mouth to retort but his hand was swift and she didn't protest as it covered her mouth. "I know you better than you think, Granger. You were crying because you hate this situation you're in."

The fact that he was right stunned her slightly but she recovered quickly. "So what? It's not hard to guess – you know how much I hate you, how much I hate this."

"Then go." He said and she searched his face to see if he was serious. "This can be it, then. The last night."

"You're lying. You'll be after me in a week."

"No, Hermione. If you want to go and never see me again, then leave." The use of her first name and not her surname told her he was serious but she didn't move.

"Why?"

"Why what?" He asked angrily, turning on to his back and staring up at the ceiling.

"You chase me for weeks, tell me you've got me where you want me and now you're saying that's it?" Anger welled inside of her but she didn't know why; he was providing her with a way out but she didn't want to take it.

"Yes, Hermione." Malfoy said firmly, not looking at her. She liked the way her name sounded coming from his lips but she forced that thought aside.

"You make no sense."

"I make perfect sense, okay? You just choose to ignore that. You don't see half of what's in front of you – for someone who is supposed to be the smartest witch in our year you are pretty slow on the uptake." Hermione lay there, unsure of how to reply when he kept talking. "And you know what else? You enjoy this too, okay. I'm a horrible person, I know. I've treated you and your stupid friends like shit since we started here but I don't hear you complaining. You moan along with me so if you want to go, then do it. But I know you must get something out of this or you would have left when I initially said go."

He was right and she knew it. It killed her that he seemed to know her so well and she wondered briefly when that happened. Hermione had always been dirt to him but somewhere along the line it changed, apparently while Hermione wasn't looking. Now, as they lay side by side, she realised he must feel something deep for her, the emotion he was showing seemed too real for this to be a game. It scared her slightly that he might feel something for her that she didn't feel back but with a jolt she realised she did. While they lay there in silence, she went over every single one of their interactions together and every time she wanted it. With a small gasp she realised she looked forward to their time together and when they were together, there was a part of her that didn't want to leave.

Though she wasn't sure what she felt for the blonde haired boy on the bed next to her, she knew she felt something and with a trembling hand, she moved it over until it met his and she saw him look down as she held it in his. He held it back and squeezed it softly, Hermione sighing to herself. What was she getting herself into?

They fell asleep like that; Hermione's hand in his, and when she woke, he had moved closer to her, his head nestled in to her neck. She shivered at his breath on her skin and looked down to see him waking up too.

"What do you think the time is?" She asked quietly, her voice nothing but a whisper.

"Who cares." He said shortly and she watched his hand move down to her stomach and trace light shapes there. She shivered again and pushed his hand off, sitting up and reaching for her clothes which lay on the floor. "Where are you going?"

"Malfoy, I have no idea what the time is but I do not want to walk back to Gryffindor tower when the sun is rising and people are getting up." Hermione said and Malfoy lay on the bed watching her dress. A blush crept across her cheeks and she dressed quickly, desperate to have a barrier between them. He sighed and stood up, getting dressed quickly and they both made their way to the door. Hermione stopped before she opened it and turned to Malfoy. "What is it you like about me?"

"Are you kidding me? You want to have a deep and meaningful now?" He said though he didn't sound as harsh as he usually did. "You just told me you wanted to get back to bed."

"Stop avoiding, just answer the question." She prompted and he took a step closer towards her. "Do you have some sort of fetish of pushing me up against doors?" She said, enjoying the way her voice sounded when she teased him and he smirked at her.

"No, but I know you enjoy it." He said and lowered his lips on to hers. She kissed him back but only for a moment before pulling away and giving him a stare. "Granger, come on. Let's just go."

Hermione looked up at him and sighed; the use of her surname coupled with his avoidance of the question confused her. He either didn't want to admit how deeply he felt for her or he felt next to nothing. She pulled the door open and stalked out, casting the Disillusionment charm on both her and Malfoy before setting off down the corridor, leaving Malfoy to trail behind. She walked quickly and quietly, desperate to get into her own bed before anyone spotted her. As she rounded the corner and saw with relief the Gryffindor portrait hole up ahead, she let out a small squeal as something held her back.

"Shut up!" A voice hissed and she realised it was Malfoy, though she could not see him and surely he could not see her. She looked around the corridor but could not see where he was at all and it wasn't until she felt his breath on her neck that she knew he was behind her and closed her eyes.

"What are you doing?" She whispered, shivering slightly. His hands snaked around her waist and he held her tight; it was not sexual and she was surprised at this – whenever he touched her it was always leading up to something else but this time it felt different. She leaned back into him and heard herself sigh.

"You wanted to know what I felt for you." He whispered and she stood up a bit straighter, nervous for what he was about to say. She felt him move away and she turned, not knowing where he was. "I am very quickly falling in love with you." The words fell over her and she absorbed them, her heart beating wildly. She heard footsteps and realised he was walking away, feeling a slight disappointment. It wasn't until she had crept through the portrait hole and was lying in bed that the full blast of what Malfoy had said hit her.

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><p><strong>Shorter chapter, I know, sorry. But like I said previously, not sure what I'm doing with this story, just going along with whatever comes to mind. Hope you enjoyed it, thank you for the reviews, it means a lot!<strong>


	4. Suspicious Minds

"_Malfoy, you don't love me." As Hermione said the words she became aware that they were stood in the Great Hall and that everyone was staring at them. But as the pair looked at each other, grey eyes searching the brown, it was as if they were alone in the world. _

"_I do." Those two words sent a gasp around the hall and out of the corner of her eye, Hermione saw Ron stand up, his face furious._

"_Then prove it. Make love to me – not like we usually do. Show me you love me." Another gasp and Ron started making his way over to where they stood. Malfoy took a step towards her and brushed her hair out of her eyes, emotion written across his face. He tried to lean in to place a kiss on her lips but a fist came out of nowhere and knocked him to the ground cold._

_Hermione didn't react, but turned to look at the red head who stood in front of her, his face matching his hair and rage emanating from him._

"_What are you doing with him? He's filth!" Ron spat and Hermione listened to him calmly, noticing that Harry and Ginny had come to watch also. "And you've been...sleeping with him?" The words clearly caused him pain and Hermione smirked._

"_Why does that bother you, Ronald?" She asked quietly and Ron's face twitched in anger. "You are nothing to me."_

"_I hate you."_

The three words echoed in her head as she woke up, covered in sweat and gasping slightly. The dream had been so real and she reached for the glass of water that sat next to her bed. She knew the reason it had affected her so much and that was because if Ron ever did find out, that's exactly how he would react. He would be furious and there was no doubt in her mind that there would be a fight. When it came to Harry, she wasn't sure how he would deal with it but she thought then that she didn't really care.

Hermione had developed feelings for Malfoy whether she liked it or not, and if what he said last night was true then something was happening between them – like some kind of forbidden love. She snorted to herself in the darkness at the thought of it and dismissed it from her mind. She wondered how long he had felt that way towards her; had it started as purely a physical attraction? She was reminded of all the bullying and insults he had thrown her way over the years and knew this was something recent.

Her dream had confirmed only one thing for her; she didn't want anyone to know. Not yet, anyway. There was no way anyone would understand and it gave her a kind of a thrill to know that she had this secret that no one knew about. Her feelings for Malfoy were conflicting with those for Ron and she had no idea who she felt the most for. It had always been Ron, there had always been something about him that she had adored but this year had proved there was nothing between them. He couldn't care less about her and was happy with Lavender, so why should she continue harbouring feelings for him? It occurred to her that she didn't feel anything really at all for Ron and this new realisation seemed to bring relief with it. Their bond had strengthened over the six years they had known each other and she knew it would take a lot to break it so she knew they would always be friends.

Hermione originally felt that what she was doing with Malfoy was wrong and something to be hidden, but now that she was enjoying it, looking forward to it and even wanting more from him, she felt the guilt and shame from their meetings leave.

Could she tell people though? It was a big step and she would talk to Malfoy about it but there was a very small part of her that yearned to let people know about her secret. She was no longer the responsible student; she had a secret, a dark secret that most of her friends would be upset about if they knew. It was the thought of Harry, Ron and even Ginny that kept it hidden and she turned over, desperate to get back to sleep for a few hours before the sun rose.

After what he said the night before, Hermione hadn't seen Malfoy at all over the next few days and she wondered if he had meant it. She never seemed to spot him in the Great Hall and in the corridors and she begun to miss him, something that surprised her. It was nearly a week after their last night together that she came across him alone in the grounds. She had been going for a walk – something she liked to do when Harry or Ron were getting on her nerves or if she just needed to clear her head – and found him leaning against the castle wall, his eyes closed. She sat down next to him silently and he glanced at her briefly before closing his eyes again. It was nearing nightfall and the sun had almost set. The colours it cast across the sky momentarily stunned Hermione and it was times like these she appreciated the beauty of the world she lived in. She tried her hardest to focus on that and not the blonde haired boy next to her who seemed to fill her thoughts.

"Did you mean it?" She asked and she felt him stiffen next to her.

"Mean what?" He asked in return and she laughed lightly.

"You know exactly what I mean, Malfoy." Hermione said and looked over at him. He opened his eyes and looked at her, his face blank.

"I don't lie." She waited for more but he turned away and closed his eyes again and Hermione sighed loudly and pointedly, leaning into him slightly and resting her head on his shoulder. She felt him look down at her before smiling as his head rested on top of hers. She knew someone could walk around the corner and see them – though it was unlikely as most people would be in their common rooms by now – but she felt comfortable in that moment and knew he must have felt the same.

"Does anyone know you meet me?" She asked quietly after awhile and lifted her head to look at him.

"No. Have you told anyone?" She shook her head and he looked down at her, his eyes hard. "I'm sure the Weasel would have something to say about it, and Potter for that matter." His voice was bitter and something clicked inside Hermione.

"You're jealous, aren't you?" She said and he looked away from her. She sat up straighter and forced him to look at her. "You're jealous because they're my best friends and – and oh my goodness. This whole thing with Ron and Lavender; you're jealous." It was as if the penny had just dropped and Hermione was upset at herself for not seeing it sooner. It made her smile slightly that he would be jealous over her and she watched his face try to hide what he was feeling.

"So what?" He spat and his sudden anger only confirmed what she had said. She smiled even wider at him and leaned in until her face was close to his. He looked at her, his anger disappearing before her eyes.

"It's cute, Malfoy." She kissed him quickly and pulled away before he could take that as permission to do other things and sat next to him.

"Aren't you supposed to hate me?" He asked and her smile disappeared. She felt his eyes on her and looked out across the grounds. It had gotten considerably darker in the last few minutes and she knew soon they would lock the castle doors.

"Supposed to, yes." She said, remembering their initial conversation on the very first night they met up and Malfoy obviously picked up on it because he looked over at her, a smirk twitching at the corners of his lips. "I'm going in now. People will be wondering where I am."

"Can I see you later?" Hermione raised her eyebrows at the question as they both stood up.

"Can you? That makes a change." She said as they started to walk around the castle to the entrance. "You really are confusing, Malfoy. You tell me you're falling in love with me then you get all funny when I ask you about it. You treat me like rubbish then you act as if you care. I can't work you out."

He looked over at her as they reached the entrance and sent her a rare smile. "You confuse me too, Hermione. Because I've called you by your first name a lot recently and you can't do the same for me. I'll see you later on." Her mouth hung open at his comment and he turned around and headed for the dungeons, leaving Hermione slightly speechless.

When she finally reached the common room, the portrait swung open to reveal Ron, Harry and Ginny sat by the fire and Hermione was reminded vividly of her dream. She ignored it and walked over to them, sitting down next to Ginny and smiling around at them all. She felt like a traitor and hoped nothing showed on her face as to where she had just been.

"Hey, Hermione." Ginny said and Hermione smiled at her. "Where've you been?"

"Oh – er – I just went for a walk." She said and saw both Harry and Ron looking at her and the latter was sporting a slightly bruised cheek. "What happened to you?" She asked in shock and Ron's hand touched his cheek carefully.

"He broke up with Lavender." Ginny told her and Hermione gasped in realisation. "She wasn't too happy about it."

"I can see that." The four were silent and Hermione processed what she had just been told. The fact that Ron was single brought up nothing within her and she knew for sure then that she didn't feel anything for him. The thought made her slightly sad; it had always been Ron that she had felt something for, ever since third year. To think that she never even acted on her feelings for him almost made her feel as if she was grieving for something that never happened, but she remembered Malfoy and everything that was happening with him and smiled slightly.

"What are you smiling for?" Ron asked slightly harshly and she shot him a look.

"Don't talk to me like that just because of what happened!" She said and Ron glared at her. "What's your problem, Ron?"

"Where were you tonight?" She felt her breath hitch in her throat and tried to look as if she wasn't bothered by the question. Harry and Ginny watched silently.

"What? I just told you – I went for a walk!" Hermione cried, anger starting to build inside her.

"I don't believe you. You've been acting...different lately. Weird, even. What's going on?" He demanded and Harry cut in.

"Mate – come on, leave her – "

"No, Harry. This isn't to do with you." Ron snapped and this time Harry was on the receiving end of Ron's glare. Harry raised his eyebrows and turned to Ginny who shrugged her shoulders. "Are you going to answer me?" His anger seemed to fill the common room and the last few people who had been sitting in the common room disappeared, the sight of Ron angry scaring them away.

"What's got into you? I told you where I was!" She hissed and he scoffed.

"I've already said, I don't believe you." He replied and she felt the urge to slap him.

"Why not? What on earth would I lie for?" She asked and hoped more than anything that her face didn't show she was lying. Their years of friendship clearly meant he knew her too well and as his eyes bore into her she felt as if they were digging under her skin to search for the truth.

"I don't know but I know you are different." He said quietly and Hermione heard the hurt in his voice though she was not sure what caused it. She stood up and walked towards the portrait hole. "You can walk away, Hermione, but I'm going to find out what's going on with you." She turned and gave him the coldest stare she could muster before leaving the common room. She almost ran away from it – she was slightly worried Ron may follow her – and was lucky not to bump into anyone. She got to the Room of Requirement to find the bedroom they usually occupied already there and she entered to find it empty.

Hermione flung her body onto the bed and felt angry tears sting her face. She knew there was no way Ron could know what she was doing but it made her upset all the same. She turned over and wiped her eyes angrily, wishing then that Malfoy was with her and the second the thought had formed in her mind, the door opened and he slipped inside.

"What are we doing?" She asked him desperately and he looked at her, alarmed. "What are we, Malfoy? Are we a couple? Is this just some fling? Tell me what we are!" She demanded and got off the bed, walking over to him with more tears forming in her eyes.

"Granger – what is – are you okay?" The concern in his face only hurt her more and in an instant she wished nothing had ever happened between them. When he put his hand on her arm and steered her over to the bed, she took it back and looked at him.

"Are we a couple? I want to know." She said firmly and he looked away from her. "Please, Draco. What are we?" His eyes snapped to hers as she said his name and she saw something soften in him.

"What do you want? Do you want to be a couple?" She hadn't expected him to outright answer her question and the way he put it back on her frustrated her, but it made her think more in depth about the question. What did she want? She knew she wanted him – what they had had surprised her in so many ways and she obviously felt something for him, though she didn't feel as strongly for him as he apparently did for her, but did she want to go public? She thought about it for a moment, remembering Ron's angry face and looked up at him.

"Yes, I do. Because why is it a secret?" She said though she knew what he would say.

"Hermione, you're a Gryffindor, I'm a Slytherin. I've picked on you for the last five years and your two best friends would kill me given the chance." He said pointedly. "There are many reasons why it's a secret, the question is, how much do you care?"

"A-about you?" She asked, nervous energy suddenly filling her. Malfoy shook his head.

"No, but hey, if you want to tell me that then go ahead." He smirked over at her and she ignored it. "I meant how much do you care about what other people think?"

She thought about it for a moment, going over Harry and Ron's possible – likely – reactions, others in the Gryffindor and Slytherin house. As much as she was sick of sneaking around, she didn't feel ready for others to know yet.

"I don't care but I don't want others to know yet. At the moment, what keeps me sane is knowing what – what we are." Hermione said and sighed deeply, falling back on the bed and putting her hands over her eyes. "I don't know anything, Draco. This is a mess."

He lay down next to her and she felt his hand take hers. "If you want to be a couple, then that's what we are. But we don't have to tell anyone yet."

"Would you want to tell people if I wanted to?"

"No." He said and her eyes flew open to look at him. "I'm a Slytherin – I would get so much – "

"Don't explain. It was always going to be like this, wasn't it?" She said and screwed her eyes shut in frustration. "Maybe we should just stop what we're doing."

"Yeah, maybe."

They were silent for awhile and Hermione felt a mix of emotions inside. She wanted to be angry at him but she felt the same; she didn't want to tell people purely because of how they would react. She squeezed his hand tightly, attempting to convey everything she was feeling to Malfoy.

"I'm sorry." He said and she sighed again.

"So am I."

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><p><strong>Oooh. Cliffhanger. What's going to happen? Who knows! Review and I might update ;)<strong>

**(I'll still update but reviews are appreciated :))**


	5. Confessions and Consequences

Hermione didn't remember falling asleep and when she woke up she saw through the Room of Requirement window that the sun was rising. She sat upright in the bed and saw Malfoy next to her, his body tangled in the blankets and she remembered that it was a Saturday; she didn't have to be anywhere. She lay back down and found that she didn't care that she should be at breakfast, that Harry, Ron and most likely Ginny too would be wondering where she was. Something seemed to have changed within her through the night and although she couldn't put her finger on it, she felt it. Malfoy stirred beside her and she waited patiently for him to wake up.

"What's the time? Shouldn't you be leaving?" He asked and Hermione wondered if he ever greeted people properly.

"I'd rather stay here." She almost added 'with you' but thought better of it and the look on Malfoy's face told her he'd realised. "I still don't get you." She said and he sighed loudly.

"Not this again. I've only just woken up." He said irritably and rubbed his eyes.

"I know I just – I can't stop thinking about how different you are. I'm the mudblood, filth, remember? Yet you claim to be falling in love with me. It just doesn't make sense, Malf-Draco." She said and bit her lip nervously. It did seem right to be having a serious conversation at that time of the morning but she felt like she needed to know – she was desperate for clarity. Her paranoid mind pictured herself falling more and more for him and then falling flat on her face when it all turned out to be a joke. She couldn't quite get her head around the idea of him being any different than she had known him to be over the years.

"I don't know what to tell you." He said quietly and Hermione grew frustrated.

"I know guys don't like talking about feelings and all that rubbish but come on – you told me you were falling for me the other night!" She exclaimed and stared at him.

"Don't look at me like that, Granger."

"Oh, it's Granger now, is it? Funny how when things suddenly get serious, you change." She said furiously, sitting up and flattening her hair.

"Are you leaving? Don't leave. Stay here with me." His tone was demanding rather than pleading and Hermione glanced over at him. "Hermione, please?"

She let out a frustrated growl and lay back on the bed, shooting him a glare. "Why can't you just tell me what's in your head?" She asked and he sighed loudly from next to her, his hand now creeping its way towards her. She watched it approach and drew in a breath as it finally touched her.

"You're in my head, Granger." He said and she laughed lightly. His hand slowly made its way across her stomach and up to her chest which was barely covered by her shirt that she had slept in. She made no moves to help him as he unbuttoned it and climbed on top of her, awakening desire deep inside of her and she smiled shyly up at him.

"Nobody knows this side of you except me." She said quietly and he ignored her, taking one of her breasts in her mouth and causing her to gasp loudly as he bit it. "You make me feel so good and no one even knows how kind you can be."

He looked up at her, her other breast in his mouth and she saw something in his eyes. He took his mouth off and reached up to kiss her on the lips, their tongues crashing together in a sudden burst of unbridled passion. Hermione's hands found his shirt and pulled it off; she loved the feel of his bare skin on hers and she felt goosebumps over her entire body.

"Look at what you do to me, Draco." She whispered into his ear and he shivered visibly. This new confidence she seemed to feel made her feel ten times better and she moved her hands down his chest and held him firmly, hearing a loud moan escape his lips.

"What are you doing, Granger?" He asked and didn't wait for an answer. He took her hands away and pulled her skirt and briefs down, his eyes looking at her hungrily. There was something different about the way he entered her though and as Hermione watched him she realised what it was. Usually he was fast, impatient and rough. As much as she enjoyed that, there was something about the tenderness in his expression that made her wonder even more what he was thinking.

Slowly this time he withdrew and re-entered her and she heard herself moaning loudly as he lowered his head and kissed her neck softly. This new Malfoy stunned her and she felt herself reaching climax quicker than she normally did, feeling as if she was floating above everything and the bliss she felt in those seconds as she came was beyond anything she'd ever felt. Malfoy seemed to notice the change in her and after he came, his lips caught hers and Hermione felt as if she could never feel as happy as she did then. He bit her lip softly and she opened her eyes, staring up at him in confusion.

"Do you love me?" She whispered as he collapsed next to her and she felt the happiness ebb away as nervousness replaced it. He didn't answer right away, but pulled the blankets up over the pair of them – something Hermione was thankful for, still not comfortable with being completely naked in front of him – and she turned on her side to watch him.

"Don't ask me something so serious after we've just – "

"Malfoy." She said sternly and he sighed.

"Yes." His voice was barely a whisper and if she had not been watching him, she would not have heard it. The word brought up feelings she couldn't describe and she knew that although she didn't feel the same, she could. She moved closer to him, the sun now streaming inside and she knew it was probably nearing ten am. He kissed the top of her head and she marvelled at how different he could be when he was around her.

By the time they finally emerged from the room, Hermione felt as if she had lived longer than everyone else and was somehow wiser than everyone else though she knew this wasn't true. The fact that Malfoy had told her that he loved her made her happy and scared at the same time and she felt like she needed to tell someone though she didn't know who. Malfoy disappeared in the other direction as they left the room and Hermione made her way to the Gryffindor tower, knowing that breakfast would long be over. She passed familiar faces as she made her way there but she ignored them all, knowing who she was seeking out.

"Hermione!" The sound of Harry's voice calling her name made her whirl around and she saw him approaching, a grim look on his face.

"Where've you been? We've been so worried." He said, panting slightly and it was obvious he had been running to keep up with her. "After you left last night, Ginny tried to follow you but said you just disappeared."

They started walking towards the common room and Hermione fished around for something to say. "Oh, right. I went for a walk." She said lamely and she could tell Harry didn't believe her.

"What time did you get in? And what time did you leave? Ginny doesn't remember seeing you coming back." His eyes stared at her and she could see him trying to work out the truth. They reached the portrait hole and climbed in, finding it reasonably empty and not a Weasley in sight.

"Late, okay. You sound like Ron – why does it matter?" She said, a hint of anger in her voice and Harry took a step back.

"Sorry for caring." He said, sounding hurt and Hermione immediately regretted it.

"Harry, I'm sorry. Ron just got to me last night and I felt as if you were interrogating me as well." She explained as they sat down on a spare couch and Hermione let out a deep sigh.

"He's kind of right though, Hermione. What's going on?" Harry asked and Hermione stood up as quickly as she had sit down.

"Nothing! You and Ron are just – you're so – " She let out a growl of frustration at not being able to get her words out and made for the girls staircase, stomping her feet as she did so. At the top of the stairs she bumped into Ginny and pulled the girl into her dormitory.

"Hermione – what?" The younger girl exclaimed and Hermione glanced around her dormitory, finding it empty.

"Ginny – I – er – " She took a deep breath and steadied herself, sitting on the bed and Ginny followed, a concerned expression now on her face.

"What's going on?"

"I have to tell someone – I have to tell you. Please, promise me you won't tell anyone, especially Ron." Hermione pleaded and Ginny nodded quickly. "I – Malfoy – I've been s-seeing Malfoy." Once the words were out, she felt relief wash over her and even as Ginny's eyes widened in confusion, she felt like a weight had been taken off her shoulders.

"What are you talking about, Hermione? Seeing him? What do you mean?" Ginny's voice was filled with horror and Hermione knew how crazy it must sound. She explained everything, from their first meeting up until their most recent and throughout her telling it, Ginny's mouth hung open in shock.

"He's different though, Ginny. I can't explain it. It's like he's a totally different person when he's with me." She heard the pleading tone in her voice and was desperate for Ginny to believe her.

"Hermione, I can't believe this. Is this what Ron was talking about – you being different?" She said, ignoring what Hermione had said about Malfoy.

"I guess so. He doesn't know though; no one does. Except now you do – please don't say anything. I just had to tell someone. Ron – and Harry too, I guess – would flip if they knew."

"Are you guys...together?" She asked and pulled a face.

"Yes." Hermione said and Ginny shook her head.

"Do you love him?" Hermione had been expecting the question but it still stumped her and she stared at the floor, her fingers twitching in her lap. "Hermione – did he say he loved you?"

"He did." She said, choosing to ignore the initial question simply because she didn't know how to answer it. Did she love him? She heard herself think no but she knew she was growing more and more fond of him as the days wore on and today proved she could very easily fall for him. As she thought about it now, she realised she wasn't letting herself.

"And you believe him?" Ginny asked in shock and brought Hermione out of her thoughts.

"Yes, I do, Ginny. You don't know him like I do – he just – "

"Hermione, his favourite name for you is Mudblood and all he's done is pick on you every single day you have been at Hogwarts – along with insulting your best friends – I don't understand this at all." Ginny said, pain written across her face. "He insults my family every chance he gets – when Ron finds out – "

"Don't tell him!" Hermione cried and Ginny sighed deeply.

"I'm not going to. But if you guys are...a couple, then eventually people are going to know. You can't expect him to react the same why I did. I think you know that already, though." Ginny said and Hermione looked at her in a new light. The younger girl sounded older than her years and she was grateful Ginny had reacted the way she did.

"Ginny, I'm sorry." She said quietly and the red head took Hermione's hand.

"Don't be sorry. If this is what you want, then none of us can stop you. Ron and Harry won't be happy but if this is serious, then there isn't anything we can do anyway." She said and Hermione nodded. "But listen to me. I hope you know what you're getting yourself into and I hope that whatever he has told you, whatever you believe – I just hope your right."

Ginny stood up and gave Hermione a brief smile, leaving the dormitory and leaving Hermione to her thoughts. She was extremely grateful for how she had handled it but it only made her more worried for how to tell everyone else. With a deep sigh she stood up and followed Ginny out of the dormitory and down to the common room. She instantly wished she hadn't when she found Ginny, Harry and Ron sat together and the latter ignored her as she sat down with them. There was a tense silence and all three of them seemed to avoid her eye.

"Harry – "

"Leave, Hermione." Ron said and Hermione pushed away the tears that threatened to fall so suddenly. "You've treated us like – "

"I haven't treated you like anything!" She protested and Ron glared at her.

"Harry's just told us how you yelled at him earlier." Ron said coldly and Hermione looked at Harry who avoided her eyes. "Leave."

Hermione stood up and again fought away tears. She took one last look at the three of them – Ginny gave her a small sympathetic look while the other two simply glared – and turned to leave. She stopped at the portrait hole and glanced around, locking eyes with Ron.

"Ginny, tell them." Hermione narrowed her eyes at the Weasley she hated more than anything at that moment and left, not before hearing both Ron and Harry's demands to Ginny for her to tell them what she meant. With a satisfied smirk, Hermione shut the portrait behind her and ran, to where she didn't know but wanting to put as much distance between herself and Ron as possible. The tears that had threatened to fall earlier now fell in earnest and she wiped them away angrily, the consequences of what she had just done only now occurring to her.

What had she done?

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><p><strong>Okay, ready for a big authors note. I hope I am writing Malfoy okay - I never really write him much and especially not like this. It's hard to keep him in personality when I want to show his growing feelings for Hermione. I hope I'm doing an okay job, he is such an awesome character and it's tricky to get him right!<strong>

** I have been wondering for awhile what to do in regards to Voldemort and everything else that happened in the Half Blood Prince, especially regarding Malfoy and the whole kill Dumbledore thing. I toyed with the idea of keeping it the same and running this story alongside HBP but now I've decided to not to do that. So, while reading this story, some things are the same and some aren't. There is no Voldemort, no Death Eaters, nothing like that. Harry's parents therefore are alive, nobody is out to kill Dumbledore and no scar on Harry's head. It's a bit of an AU fic but at the same time it's not. Malfoy is still obviously Malfoy with his views of superiority over people with different blood statuses. I hope this clears things up and please keep reviewing – I love them! Thank you so much for reading :)**


	6. Breaking Up and Making Up

Hermione walked and walked all over the castle until she found what she was looking for. She realised lunch had just finished and the thought crossed her mind that Ron, Harry and Ginny had missed it along with her but as a group of Slytherins left the Great Hall, a familiar face among them, Hermione forgot them.

"Malfoy." Her voice seemed to stun him slightly and the whole group stopped and looked around at her, all with matching looks of disgust. "Can I talk to you?"

He seemed to having some sort of internal struggle and the other Slytherins stood watching him with a look of confusion on his face. He turned and spoke to them, not loud enough for Hermione to hear and they walked away, Pansy Parkinson throwing a glare at Hermione.

"What is it?" He asked tensely and Hermione sighed; he was not going to like what she had to say.

"Can we go somewhere?" She asked and watched him search her face and nod curtly. She led the way out on to the grounds and they walked for a few minutes, passing by many good spots to sit down but there were too many others hanging around and they were already attracting looks. A Gryffindor and a Slytherin walking together was one thing, but a Malfoy and a Mudblood? She almost snorted at the thought of it. They finally made their way around the lake and Hermione sat down, looking out across and saw other people around but far in the distance. No one was looking their way and Hermione was thankful for it.

"What's going on?" He asked and Hermione noticed he wasn't looking at her but looking around nervously.

"I've told someone." She said and then corrected herself. "I told Ginny and then she told Harry and Ron because I asked her to."

"What did you do that for?" His voice wasn't angry and she looked over at him. She had expected him to be angry, to yell, but this quiet reaction was unnerving her.

"I needed to tell someone and that's why I told Ginny. But – I told the others – I just – they make me so angry and I just sort of let it out." Hermione admitted and Malfoy made an angry noise in the back of his throat.

"So I should expect to be cursed any day now?" He grunted and Hermione shook her head. "I really wish you hadn't done that. They're gonna kill me."

"You're not scared, are you?" She teased and he looked at her. It was clear from the anger on his face that he was not happy and she sighed. "Look, I know this is bad and I know I said I wasn't ready like a day a go but – if you – I don't know anymore." She said in frustration and wrapped her finger in her hair nervously. What she said couldn't be closer to the truth; she was at a loss for what was going to happen next or what to do.

"Well, neither do I." He said darkly and stood up, walking away from her and back to the castle. She watched his retreating back for a moment before standing up and running after him. In the distance she spotted a familiar red head coming out of the castle and she felt a prickle of unease. She caught up with Malfoy and spun him around, planting her lips on his in a desperate bid to make him see sense. There were people sitting on the grass around her but she found she didn't care anymore; people were going to know soon enough anyway.

"Draco – please, listen. You said – " She stopped talking as he kissed her again and she pushed him off. "You said you loved me!" She cried out and several people turned to stare.

"Granger, come on. Just let me go and process this." Malfoy said through gritted teeth and turned around. Harry, Ron and Ginny were walking towards them, Ron with a face Hermione couldn't describe but she knew it wouldn't be good. She heard Malfoy swear under his breath and watched him pull his wand out.

"No, don't! If you curse them, they'll only hate you more."

"So I'm supposed to let them take shots at me?" He asked her angrily and his eyes flashed dangerously. She pushed in front of him and took her own wand out, turning to face Ron, Ginny and Harry as they arrived. Harry was already holding Ron back and Ginny sent Hermione a look of apology.

"So it's true then!" Ron shouted and a crowd had now gathered to watch the exchange. Malfoy stayed silent behind Hermione and she glanced back to see him glaring daggers at the new arrivals. She turned back and took a step towards Ron.

"Ron – please – listen to me – "

"Don't you talk to me, you little slut!" There was a collective gasp at the word and Hermione felt herself grow numb. She had never heard him use the word and she could tell both Harry and Ginny were shocked too. This was her best friend, the boy she had once even thought she loved; how wrong she was. She took a step back away from him and Malfoy pushed in front of her.

"What did you just call her?" He said, his voice cutting through the tension in the air. Harry now had two hands on Ron to keep him away from Malfoy and Hermione saw Ginny had Ron's wand.

"Like you care, Malfoy! What did you tell her? That you loved her? What a joke!" He shouted, struggling to break free of Harry's grasp.

"Ron, just leave. This isn't anything to do with you!" Hermione cried, anger taking over her emotions and she glared at him.

"How could you? A Slytherin? A _Malfoy_?" He spat the name as if it was dirt in his mouth and Malfoy's hand twitched on his wand. "How could you believe what he told you?"

"What's it to you, Ron?" Hermione suddenly shrieked and with a short burst of pleasure she saw him step back a little at her outburst. "Since when do I have to run everything I do past you? You are not my father, you are not my brother and they way you are treating me now – there is no way I want someone like you as my friend!"

"Like I want to be seen with someone like you!" He shouted and Ginny put her hand on his arm.

"Ron, come on. Let's just go." She said and Ron shook his younger sister off.

"Look at him, Hermione. He can't even defend you properly. He doesn't love you." He shot and Hermione glanced at Malfoy. The Slytherin looked at her and in that second she felt a twinge of doubt at his feelings for her. A split second later, she realised she had fallen for him. She closed her eyes for a second and turned back to Ron.

"Just go, will you?" Hermione said as harshly as she could and took a step back, taking Malfoy's hand. She wanted more than anything to talk to him alone, figure out this whole mess but with everyone around, there was no way she could. She watched Ron's eyes land on their intertwined hands and he let out a growl of rage. A few people watching took a step back.

"You're a liar!" He spat at Malfoy and the pair ignored him. "If you really loved her, you'd admit it. Go on, ferret boy. Confess your undying love for this – "

"Ron!" Ginny exclaimed at the word he had used to describe Hermione but Ron ignored her. Hermione looked then at Harry who had so far stayed quiet through the whole thing and he held her gaze for a moment, his face indescribable.

"He can't do it." Harry said quietly and Hermione's head snapped around to look at Malfoy. He was glaring at Ron but there was something on his face that seemed to break Hermione's heart the second she looked at it.

"Malfoy?" She asked and her voice seemed to break the spell. He looked down at her and simultaneously dropped her hand. Ginny gasped from next to them but Hermione ignored it, tears now stinging her eyes but she kept staring at Malfoy. "Do you?" It was a whisper just for him and their eyes locked.

His delay in answering told her all she needed to know and she took a step back from him, hardly daring to believe she had let herself be tricked.

"Hermione – I – "

She didn't let him answer but walked away as quickly as her legs would take her. She heard yelling behind her and the sound of a fist on skin but she didn't turn; if it was Malfoy who had been hit, she didn't care. Her tears fell freely and sobs escaped her lips.

How could she have been so stupid? Only hours earlier she had woken up next to Malfoy and felt happy, secure even. She had believed him so easily when he told her that he loved her and even now she had the slightest bit of doubt – why would he lie? Why would he lead her on for so long? She sighed as she entered the castle and made the trek up to the Gryffindor common room, ignoring everyone she passed and focusing on her own thoughts. She wanted to believe him so badly especially now she realised she had fallen for him but today had proved it. He wasn't ready for this, wasn't ready for anything; a relationship with a Gryffindor, with a _Mudblood _for that matter and Hermione should have known better.

She had let him trick her and she hated herself over and over again for thinking that he could change, thinking that he could be a better person. She finally reached the Gryffindor common room and once inside, made a beeline for her dormitory. She didn't want to see or speak to anyone and wanted only to be alone in her misery. She collapsed into bed and the sobs came loudly now, echoing around the room and she was incredibly thankful it was empty. She cried for what seemed like an eternity before she sat up, her face swollen and blotchy, and her breath coming in gasps. She padded into the bathroom and splashed water on her face.

What she wanted now was to know how he could have done that to her but she didn't want to speak to him or see his pale face. Hermione stared at her reflection and pulled a face. She was sick of everything. This crazy roller coaster of emotions she had been on had lost her Harry and Ron as a friend, had lost someone she thought she could really fall for and she had nothing to show for it. It had only been little over a month and it was already over, as if it was nothing. She cursed Malfoy under her breath and went back to bed, exhaustion and sleep overcoming her.

"Hermione!" The sound of her name being called jolted her out of sleep and for a moment, she had no idea what she was doing in bed so early in the afternoon. Her eyes were blurry and she opened them slowly to see a shock of red hair in her face and her eyes flew open.

"Ron?" She asked and heard a snort.

"No, it's Ginny." Hermione sat up and stretched, looking around to see Ginny sat next to her on the bed. "Do you know what time it is?"

"No." In a rush everything came back to her and she felt her face fall as she remembered what had happened.

"It's dinner time. Do you want to come down?" Ginny asked tentatively and Hermione felt her stomach growl in answer to Ginny's question. She realised she hadn't had any breakfast or lunch and decided to face the music. She nodded and climbed out of bed, finding her shoes and putting them on before walking out of the dormitory with Ginny. "Hermione, about before – "

"I don't want to know what happened. Don't tell me, please, Ginny." Hermione said without looking at the girl as they made their way out of the common room and through the castle.

"But Malfoy – "

"Ginny!" Hermione shot her a look then immediately regretted it. "I'm sorry. I just – I don't want to know what he said or did. I don't want to think about him anymore. I just want to forget him."

"Are you sure?" Ginny asked and Hermione nodded shortly, rounding a corner and heading down the stairs towards the Great Hall. She heard Ginny sigh and looked over.

"Who got hit?" She asked quietly and Ginny gave her a dark look.

"You'll see."

The Great Hall was buzzing with chatter but as soon as Hermione entered, both the Slytherin and Gryffindor table quietened down and watched her. She hadn't expected that at all and kept her head down as she made for an empty spot on her table. She sat down at the end of the table and felt as if she had a thousand eyes on her. Thankfully, Ginny sat next to her and she thanked the girl silently.

"Ginny. Stand up." It was Ron and Hermione looked up reluctantly. He didn't look at her but was glaring at his sister pointedly. She stared at him a moment before realising what was different about him; his left eye was swollen, the skin around it the many shades of purple and he could barely keep it open. The look of it made Hermione gasp and he ignored her still.

"What?"

"Stand up. Come and sit with me and Harry." Hermione's eyes shifted from Ron to Ginny and the two girls stared at each other for a moment.

"Ron, we are not five anymore. You can't tell me what to do. Bugger off." Ginny retorted finally and Ron stomped off angrily.

"Thank you. Sorry, I don't deserve it."

"Hermione, shut up. You haven't done anything wrong except fall for the wrong guy in my opinion – and you can't say I didn't warn you. Don't apologise to me." Ginny snapped and both girls started eating.

"Sorry." Hermione said shortly and ducked her head, focusing on the meal in front of her. "His eye looks sore." She commented.

"It will be, yes. Malfoy packs a hard punch." Ginny replied and their forced conversation made Hermione feel even worse. What she would give to go back to how it was between her and her friends; for Harry and Ron to be civil towards her again, for Malfoy to be nothing more than the idiot they had to put up with at school. The thought of him coupled with a prickling on her neck as if someone was watching her caused her to raise her head and look across the sea of heads in front of her. She found his cool grey eyes almost immediately and found him looking back at her. They stared for what seemed like forever, the air thick with emotions around them before Hermione looked down, her cheeks red.

She didn't want to look at him. She would simply have to avoid him for the rest of the year and forget about him. As she bit into a bread roll, she felt slightly better; she would think about it as if it was schoolwork. Avoiding him wouldn't be easy seeing as they shared a few classes and next year would most likely be the same but sharing classes didn't mean she had to talk to or look at him. It would be easy, she thought.

The weekend passed over in a blur. Hermione spent most of the time in bed or with her nose stuck in a book and rarely spoke to anyone. Ginny was a welcome relief to the silent treatment she was receiving from both Harry and Ron but she hadn't expected any less. She had a new found affection for the youngest Weasley and was extremely grateful for her friendship and kindness. It was Monday that was going to be difficult for more than one reason. Their first class was Potions with the Slytherins, and she had no Ginny in her class to talk to and would most likely be on her own.

Hermione arrived as early as she possibly could and took a seat in the back; they were doing only theory today. She watched the other students dribble in slowly and kept her eye out for a certain Slytherin before remembering she was supposed to be ignoring him. Harry and Ron arrived and she watched as they glanced around, spotted her, and then took a seat as far away from her as they could possibly get without sitting outside. She scowled and put her head down on the desk, closing her eyes and waiting for the voice of Slughorn.

A movement next to her disturbed her and she sat up, looking around to see Malfoy sitting down next to her, his eyes fixed forward. She was shocked for a second before looking to the front also and ignoring him as best she could. When he was finally settled, he rested his arms on the desk and the one closest to her touched her arm softly. She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth, wrenching her arms away and folding them tightly across her chest.

"I need to talk to you." He said quietly though there was no fear of him being heard over the chatter in the classroom as they waited for their Professor.

"No." Hermione said firmly and she saw him look at her out of the corner of her eye.

"You didn't let me explain – "

"No."

"Granger, come on."

"No!" She hissed and several heads swivelled around to look, including Ron. He glared back at the pair of them before Harry turned him around and Hermione looked over at Malfoy. "I don't want to talk to you, Malfoy. I have nothing to say to you."

"Well, good, because actually if you were listening you'd know I wanted to talk to you which usually means _that_ person has something to say." The sarcastic tone in his voice only irritated her and she clenched her fists in front of her.

"Actually, I do have something to say." She said suddenly, her voice uneven as she fought to keep control. She started packing up her books as she spoke. "You lied to me. You defended me with your fists but you couldn't defend me with your words. You tricked me, you deceived me, you led me to believe you loved me. And you know what?"

He merely looked at her, his expression unreadable as she shouldered her bag.

"I fell for you." She heard the pain in her voice and saw Ron looking back at them but she ignored him and kept her eyes on Malfoy. "I believed you and I fell for you. How stupid am I?" She laughed coldly and turned to walk away.

"I didn't lie." She whirled back around and walked up to him, her face close to his.

"See this is where I still don't believe you, Malfoy. You did lie. You don't love me, you never did and you never will. This was some sick plot to get me to – to get me into – I can't believe I fell for it."

"Herm – "

"Don't!" She screeched and Slughorn chose that moment to enter the classroom. He looked around wildly, spotting Hermione with a red face and her bag on her back and Malfoy with a pleading look on his face.

"What's going on here?" He asked jovially and his students ignored him, much too focused on the drama unfolding in the back of the classroom.

"Just leave me alone." Hermione turned to walk away but again she was stopped, this time by physical force as Malfoy's hand whipped out and grabbed her arm, holding it tight. Ron stood up angrily but Harry tugged him back down. "Let me go!"

"No. Not until you listen to me." Malfoy said calmly and Hermione felt more hate than she could possibly explain as she glared at him.

"Mr. Malfoy, I suggest you let go." Slughorn had come over to them and was looking down at Malfoy with a look of distaste on his face. "Now or there'll be points from Slytherin."

Hermione smirked down at him but he didn't move. "I don't care about points." His voice was still calm and she marvelled at how he stayed so collected; it seemed only to prove further that he had no real feelings for her or he would be jumping up and down trying to prove it. Slughorn and Malfoy glared at one another and Hermione took this chance to pull her arm away, shooting one last glare at Malfoy before leaving the classroom. She walked quickly, intending on going to the library to study but footsteps behind her made her stop.

"Hermione, I swear, if you weren't worth all this hassle – " Malfoy started and she rolled her eyes.

"Why can't you do what I say? Why do you have to chase me?" She demanded with her hands on her hips and he took a step closer to her.

"You refuse to let me explain, Granger." He told her and she laughed.

"You don't need to explain. You lied to me, you don't love me – we've been over this!" She exclaimed and he shook his head.

"Listen to me now. When you asked me yesterday – in front of everyone – if I loved you, I didn't answer. I did not say that I didn't love you – I simply didn't answer. If you can recall our recent conversations about not telling people simply because we weren't ready? That was me too, Hermione. You were scared to tell people and so was I."

"Yes, but – "

"I haven't finished." He said through gritted teeth and she could see him getting angry. She took a step back but bumped into a wall and put the most defiant look she could muster on her face. "All of a sudden, you come out and tell me you've told the whole of bloody Gryffindor tower and then the Weasel comes out and tries to kill me – it's a lot for a guy to take."

"That's no excuse. It's only words." She huffed and he glared at her.

"Only words? Maybe to you, Granger, but I don't often go around telling girls I love them, especially not when I know it will upset my family and friends and most likely ruin my reputation too." He said coldly and his words made her look up, a sadness on her face.

"What's going to happen then? If you don't want to ruin your reputation – "

"Stop taking everything I say out of context!" He growled and she shut her mouth. "I love you, okay?" It was the first time he'd said it properly and despite his angry tone, she felt a pull inside her towards him and looked up at him.

"How do I know you're not lying?" She asked quietly and he sighed.

"You don't. You just have to trust me."

Hermione took a step forward and kissed him lightly on the lips, knowing then she never would have been able to avoid or ignore him, simply because he wouldn't let her. "I love you too, but against my will." She said and he laughed shortly.

"What are you going to do about the Weasel and Potter?" He asked and he spat the names out. Hermione gave him a look.

"Well, for one you have to stop calling them that. And two, there's nothing I can do. But let's talk about that later." She said and reached up to kiss him again. He smiled into her lips and his arms circled around her waist. He broke away again and she groaned.

"Hey, now. Just wait. I have one more question. How do I know you're not lying about loving me?" He said and she saw the insecurities that he rarely showed. It touched her slightly that he was such a different person at times and had feelings just as any other person would.

"You don't. You just have to trust me." Hermione grinned up at him and took his hand, squeezing it tightly. As his lips came down and met hers once more, she thought about how quickly things could change and feelings could develop. She hardly dared to believe that only a month ago she had regretted ever meeting Malfoy yet now she wanted to spend each day with him, his lips on hers and his fingers in her hair. It only took that one night and everything in her world seemed to have changed. She hoped Ron and Harry would come around though she couldn't be sure but she knew she had Malfoy and that was something she knew she could get used to.

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, so this is kind of the end. I toyed with idea of a sequel but I don't think I will now. I am sort of writing an epilogue though, so if you want that let me know and I will get it out soon.<strong>

**For something that started as a oneshot this has gone really far and done way better that I thought it would. I only wrote this for a friend and didn't even ship Dramione to begin with but since writing this my feelings have changed. Thank you to everyone who read it and I love you all so much to those who reviewed! Please let me know if you want the epilogue. Thanks again.**


	7. Epilogue

The end of year feast was always something to look forward to but this year it seemed even more so. Dumbledore had spoken to them all at dinner the week before and made an announcement.

"Good evening to you all!" He called and his voice stopped everyone else's conversations dead. Heads swivelled to look at him and not a single eye was turned away. That was the effect of Dumbledore. "I hope you are enjoying your dinner as usual. I have a few things to say before I bid you all goodnight."

Hermione stared at Dumbledore carefully, not quite sure what he was going to say. Ginny, who sat on her left, was fiddling with her fork and when she dropped it loudly, Dumbledore's eyes fell on her. If possible, she turned a deeper shade of red than her hair and bowed her head. Grinning, Hermione turned back to the headmaster, her eyes catching Malfoy's as she turned her head and she felt herself smile as she remembered the night before that they had spent together.

"First of all, I would like to congratulate all students who sat their O. or their N.E. this year; I have had word back from the judicators and they were pleased to tell me that everyone passed. You will receive your official results at the end of the summer."

There was a loud cheer from the fifth and seventh year students and Hermione felt a stab of nervousness; she would be sitting her N.E. next year and knew it was going to be hard work.

"Secondly, well done to Gryffindor for winning the Quidditch cup for another year!" The cheer was louder this time round and Hermione joined in with Ginny as they screamed. Glares were sent their way, mainly from the Slytherin table and Hermione smirked in the direction of Malfoy. "Yes, well done, well done. Now, on to what I really wanted to talk about." Everyone grew silent, patiently waiting for this 'news'.

"I have decided this year for the end of year feast that it will be – I believe the Muggles say – bigger and better than the last? I think that's it. What I mean is that all house tables will be joined together – you don't sit with your house, you sit with whoever you want. The food will be slightly different, similar to that at the Yule Ball for those students who remember." There was a murmur across the hall at this announcement and Ginny screwed her nose up at Hermione who shrugged in return. "It has been a different year this year, though not everyone will have felt it. Some ties were broken and others strengthened and I think you'll all agree with me that unity is what's best. To our seventh year students who are graduating next week..."

Hermione droned out knowing she would be receiving a similar speech next year and she rested her head on her hands, eyes closing for a moment. She thought over what Dumbledore had just said and realised it fitted well with what had happened to her. Her eyes flew open and she found Harry and Ron sat a few seats down from her. They were laughing about some shared joke and Hermione felt a small dash of longing to join them and laugh with them. While the arguments had stopped – there was a period of time where all Ron could do was shoot insults at Hermione and it had been hard to keep a thick skin and not let them get to her – they still weren't friends as they used to be.

Malfoy had been a surprising source of support throughout that time and though he had got in to a few arguments with Ron – and occasionally Harry – himself, most of the time he spent telling Hermione not to worry about what they said. Though he wasn't one for showing emotions often, if Hermione was upset he would always comfort her and she loved him for it. That wasn't to say that he had stopped being a prat, he just seemed to be a prat less when he was with her.

It was something she missed terribly and although she had Ginny – who had stuck by her side throughout the whole mess and Hermione would have been lost and alone without her – it wasn't the same as the two boys she had grown up with. The fact that she and Malfoy were still together was another factor and this of course put Ron off and no doubt Harry too. She had not spoken to Harry since the whole mess and while her and Ron had exchanged harsh words, Harry had merely watched from the sidelines and as she watched him now, she wished more than ever they could all talk normally again. She had been impressed when Malfoy had stopped insulting her old friends and Ginny had commented that she didn't think it would happen. Hermione didn't ask him to, he simply stopped and after awhile Hermione picked up on it. When she asked him why he only shrugged and muttered 'because of you'. She had loved him even more for that.

"And so, although this is not the end of year feast nor is it the seventh year graduation, I realise I have spoken for too long about things that will be mentioned at both events. Alas, it is the curse of an old man. Please enjoy your dessert and I wish you a good night." There was a splattering of applause and the noise in the hall grew as people started talking again, some standing up and heading out of the Great Hall already. Hermione turned back to Ginny and they discussed the end of term feast at great length over their chocolate pudding.

When the day finally arrived, there was a buzz at breakfast about who was going to sit where and as Hermione finished her toast and made her way out of the hall, she spotted Malfoy up ahead. She ran to catch up with him and slipped her hand into his wordlessly. He looked down and gave her a rare smile. They walked out on to the grounds which were bathed in sunlight and started towards the lake, other groups of people lounging in the sun nearby.

"Where are you going to sit tonight?" He asked and she sighed. It was something she had been asking herself since Dumbledore made the announcement. On one hand, she wanted to sit with her fellow Gryffindors, the people she spent most of her time with and more importantly, Harry and Ron – though she knew that probably wasn't possible. But there was a stronger part of her that wanted to be with Malfoy. Though they had another year at school yet, there seemed to be something final about this one and she couldn't figure out why it seemed so different from the others. Musing that it was probably just because so much had changed this year, she turned her attention back to Malfoy.

"I'm not sure. If I sat with Ginny would you come and sit with us?" His face set at the question and she sighed again. "Don't worry. I'll come and sit with you."

"Hermione!" The pair turned around and saw Ginny coming towards them, her face alight with happiness and Hermione raised an eyebrow. "I had to warn you." She gasped and Hermione instantly grew worried despite the look of joy on Ginny's face.

"What? What happened?" She asked and Ginny shook her head.

"Nothing bad. I've just been talking to Harry – he and Ron have been talking about you." She began and Malfoy snorted from next to Hermione; she ignored him, as did Ginny. "Harry is coming out here to find you and try and make things up with you."

"Really?" Hermione asked and Ginny nodded, her breathing now back to normal. "Oh." She wasn't quite sure how to take the news and feeling Malfoy's hand squeeze hers, she looked up into his pale face.

"I'll go. He'll be out here soon. Make sure you talk properly." His words were short but Hermione knew him well enough now that he meant them. He leaned down and kissed her softly on the cheek before disappearing off around the lake. Hermione turned back to Ginny who was pulling a face.

"Shut up, Ginny." Hermione said and Ginny laughed.

"I just – it still amazes me that that's Malfoy who used to pick on all of us – it amazes me that he's so...normal with you." She said and shook her head as if to clear her thoughts. "Wait here then, okay? I'll let Harry know where you are."

Hermione nodded and sat down under a nearby tree, watching Ginny disappear. She had mixed thoughts about talking to Harry; part of her wanted to but the other part was worried. There must still be anger on his part and if she was honest, there was some anger on her part. Before she had time to dwell on these feelings however, she saw footsteps approaching and looked up into Harry's green eyes. He sat down wordlessly next to her and they were silent for a second.

"How did you find your exams?" Harry asked and Hermione laughed inwardly at the conversation starter. She turned and gave him a smile before answering the question.

"Stressful, but I think I did okay. How about you?"

"Stressful, but without you to tell us what to study, I don't think Ron and I did as well as you probably did." There was a tinge of sadness to his tone and it hurt Hermione to hear it. She looked out across the grounds and spotted Malfoy on the other side of the lake watching them carefully and it made her feel strangely good that he was just a little bit jealous.

"I'm sorry my choices hurt and affected you so much." She said quietly and took his hand. "It was never my intention. What happened surprised me as well as you – I didn't think I was going to – "

"It's okay. Don't apologise. It was just hard seeing you with a Malfoy, you know? The one who called you _Mudblood _in second year and countless other names. It just didn't fit, is all." Harry said and Hermione stayed quiet. "Obviously he's doing something right if you're still together. Ron's the one who had the hardest time with it."

"I know – that's why he isn't here, I guess." She said and her voice seemed to get quieter and quieter.

"He wants to make amends too but you know him – it's a lot harder for him, he's too stubborn."

"Why now though?"

Harry dropped her hand and ran it through his hair before taking his glasses off and rubbing his eyes. "I don't know, to be honest. It's the end of the year and it's our last year next year – something needed to be done." He grinned shyly over at her and she leapt forward to hug him, squeezing him tight.

"I know it'll take awhile before things go back to normal but I've missed you, Harry." She whispered and he squeezed her back.

"I've missed you too." His voice was thick and she wondered if tears were forming in his eyes like they were in hers. She pulled away and saw Malfoy approaching from a distance, the contact between her and Harry obviously too much for him. "Will you sit with us tonight?"

"Oh – I – er – "

"Ron and I have talked. If Malfoy wants to sit with us too, that's fine. I don't think Ron will speak to him but that's an improvement on cursing him." Harry offered and Hermione laughed as Malfoy stood in front of them. There was a tense moment as the two boys looked at each other before Harry stood up and gave what seemed to be a smile. "Malfoy." He said tersely and smiled at Hermione before he walked away across the grass. Hermione stood up and Malfoy took her hand quickly as if to show she was his.

"You alright, Malfoy?" She asked coyly and he shot her a look.

"Did you have to hug him?" He asked grumpily and she laughed.

"Yes, I did. Jealous?" They started walking back towards the castle and on the steps Hermione spotted Harry and Ginny. With a soft gasp she realised they were kissing and she smiled, happy for her friends.

"No." Malfoy replied though they both knew it was an outright lie. "What did he say?"

"Oh, he told me that you're a git and that I should break up with you on the spot." She said and he whipped his head around to look at her, growing angry at the laugh she came out with.

"Why do you have to tease me like that?" He growled.

"Because it's funny to see you squirm and it's so easy. We just talked about what happened." She told him and they entered the castle.

"Where was the Weas-Ron?" Malfoy asked and Hermione pinched his side for the name he almost called Ron. "Ow!"

"You'll get over it. He's stubborn but sent his love." She joked and Malfoy snorted.

"Love. He called you a slut, I hope you remember."

"Yes, I do. I also remember you calling me a _Mudblood _but you don't see me holding that against you, do you?" She reminded him and was pleased to see the tips of his ears grow pink. "Er – they want me to sit with them at the feast tonight."

Draco stopped walking, dropped her hand and looked at her, his facial expression already pleading with her. "What did you say?"

"I was going to say that I was sitting with you but he said you're welcome to sit with them as well." Hermione told him and he stared at her. She could see the battle going on inside his head; he knew how much it meant to her to have her old friends back and at the same time he knew how she felt for him. He took hold of her hand roughly and pulled her towards him, smothering her lips with his in an unexpected move. She didn't resist but kissed him back for a moment before she pushed him away.

"Er – what was that for?"

"Because I love you. I hate telling you that out in the open like this but – Granger if you want to sit with your _friends_ – " He said the word as if it caused him pain and Hermione held back a smirk. " – then that's fine. I'll sit with you if you'll let me." He finished his little speech and Hermione glanced around; there was no one in sight but that didn't stop him scowling.

"Thank you." She whispered and kissed him once more.

The Gryffindors made their way down to the Great Hall together, everyone chatting excitedly about the menu system and what food would be served. Hermione walked next to Ginny, both Harry and Ron nowhere to be seen. Hermione had considered waiting for them to come down from their dormitory and walk with them but decided meeting them at the table would be good enough. The two girls came down the last few steps and Hermione spotted Malfoy outside the doors. She slipped her hand into his as they entered the Great Hall and Malfoy gave Ginny a tight smile which she – reluctantly – returned. The four house tables were set along each wall of the Great Hall forming a large square. The table closest to the teachers table was already full and Ginny led the way towards the right where the majority of the table was empty.

"Where are the other two?" Malfoy asked carefully, his eyes searching the Great Hall as they sat down and Hermione did the same, spotting them with a nervous lurch in her stomach. They were just walking in the doors and Harry spotted her first motioning for Ron to follow him. Hermione stared at Ron, willing him to look at her but he kept his head down and followed Harry. By the time they had made their way to the table, they were lucky to get two seats opposite Hermione, Malfoy and Ginny and they sat down awkwardly.

There was a moment of tense silence and Hermione looked across at them, feeling Malfoy's hand slightly sweaty in her own. Ginny suddenly laughed loudly causing the other four to look at her with matching alarmed expressions.

"Somebody had to break the silence." She shrugged and Hermione smiled nervously at her. There was more silence however this time it was due to Professor Dumbledore standing up to address them all, his robes a brilliant blue and his eyes twinkling at them all.

"Good evening!" He beamed and everyone cheered back at him. "Another year has passed us by and it is times like these we remember the memories that have been made over the past months. I think I can speak for all of our Professors when I say that you have been an exceptional bunch to teach. Though we say goodbye to our seventh year students, we will welcome the first year students and so another set of friends joins us; so is the circle of life, if I may. You have all done so well this year and through trying times you have pulled through to support each other." There was a general whisper through the tables as people tried to work out what he was talking about but as Dumbledore's eyes twinkled in her direction, Hermione wondered if he knew more about her situation than she could have ever thought.

"House unity has proved to be incredibly strong this year and despite the usual rivalries – especially over Quidditch – " A small cheer from the Gryffindors at this. " – we have pulled together as a school incredibly well. I would like you all to congratulate yourselves on another year and I hope you all have a wondrous summer, ready for the next year, whatever it will bring." Applause deafened the hall and Hermione clapped along with them. There was a collective gasp as menus appeared in front of them and students started calling out what they wanted.

"Well, that was interesting." Ginny said, once again making a crack at conversation. Ron looked over at his sister and seemed determined to keep his eyes away from Hermione and Malfoy, their hands clasped together under the table. "What are you going to have Hermione?"

"Oh – er – I'm not sure." Hermione mumbled, lifting the menu and reading it. She looked up and saw Ron and Malfoy staring at each other, Ron looking as if he was going to be sick. She then realised he was trying to smile – or grimace, she wasn't sure – and her face flushed. Glancing at Malfoy she saw him with a similar expression. She held back the laugh that threatened in her throat and addressed Harry. "Are you doing anything over the summer?"

"Er – just staying at Ron's, I think." He said and Hermione knew if things had been different, she would have been doing the same thing. There was another silence and she almost wished they had sat separately.

"Are you doing anything, Hermione?" Ron asked and everyone was silent as Ron's blue eyes finally found hers. It seemed that time had stood still and the air seemed thick with tension around them. She managed a weak smile and he returned it, the apology written across both their faces.

"Nothing yet, just preparing for the exams next year." Hermione told them and there was an odd sound as Ginny, Harry, Malfoy and Ron all snorted at once. She blushed deeply. "What? You can never be ready too early, you know!"

Ron shook his head, a grin on his face. "You haven't changed." She looked at him and smiled warmly, hoping things would be okay between the two of them now.

"Lamb chops." Ginny mumbled from next to them and Hermione felt her stomach growl at the sight of them, glancing at the menu and deciding it was time to eat.

The conversation was awkward throughout the meal but they got through it. Ron and Harry both ignored Malfoy for the most part; if the latter spoke, they wouldn't look at him but mumbled replies to what he had said. Hermione was pleased Malfoy kept his hand on her leg throughout the night; it gave her a small sense of comfort and she couldn't stop thinking about how happy he had made her just by sitting with them. After dessert and a goodnight from the teachers, students started getting up to go to bed. The five of them stood and walked together out of the hall, stopping in the entrance way. There was an awkward silence and Hermione noticed Ron's eyes kept flicking back and forth between the floor and Malfoy and Hermione's intertwined hands.

"Malfoy and I are going for a walk." Hermione stated and Ginny – ever the saviour of awkward conversations – smiled at her.

"Well, goodnight then! Harry, are you coming?" She asked brightly and Harry sent Hermione a smile, taking Ginny's hand and walking away. Hermione spotted a flicker of anger across Ron's face at Harry and Ginny and she smiled at him.

"I didn't think you'd ever let Ginny date after Dean." She said softly and he gave a small laugh. Malfoy squeezed her hand once and let it go, walking off down the corridor and she knew he'd be waiting for her on the seventh floor in front of an all too familiar tapestry. She turned back to Ron. "I'm sorry, Ron. For everything."

He shook his head. "So am I. I treated you horribly." It seemed he felt it easier to talk now that it was just the pair of them and Hermione was thankful for it. "You didn't deserve what I called you – any of it – I just found – it was weird to watch, you know?" He fumbled over his words and Hermione knew it wasn't easy for him to apologise; his cheeks had turned red and he was wringing his hands together.

"I know, it can't have been easy." Hermione replied and they stood uneasily for a moment. "I better go – "

"Yeah, of course. Yeah. So, I –er –I'll see you – on the train?" He left the question hanging and she wondered if she could convince Malfoy to sit with Ron and Harry on the train.

"You will." She smiled. There was always bribery.

Her walk up to the seventh floor passed over in a blur and Hermione couldn't keep the smile off of her face. She finally had her friends back, after weeks of tension and awkwardness. She mused on how crazy the year had been and how much everyone had changed as she stood in front of the tapestry and waited for the door to appear.

"Took you long enough." This was her welcome grunt from the blonde haired boy on the bed and she grinned as she joined him.

"I'm sure you weren't waiting that long." She replied and kissed him lightly. They lay next to each other, their hands knotted together and Hermione felt like she wouldn't mind if they stayed that way forever. She sighed happily and Malfoy looked over at her.

"Did it go okay?"

"Do you care that it did?" She said and he grinned wickedly at her.

"I can't deny that I would love it if you never saw him again." He said and she prodded him in the side. "But if it makes you happy to be his _friend _again then it makes me happy." He emphasised the word and she laughed softly. "What are you doing over the summer?"

"Like I said earlier – studying." He snorted loudly and Hermione ignored him. "It's good to be prepared!"

"If you say so. I – er – well, my parents don't really know yet and it may take some...convincing but would you want to come and stay for a little while?" Hermione could hear the nerves in her voice and it was an emotion he rarely showed.

"Your parents won't be happy about me though, will they?" She bit her lip. For Malfoy to change and develop feelings for her was one thing; for his parents to accept that and welcome her with open arms was another and she didn't expect it to happen at all.

"Not at first, no. I can be persuasive though." He said and raised his eyebrows suggestively at Hermione who ignored it. "My mother will understand more and she can explain it to my father. Would you want to?"

"Er, well yes, I would. I'd obviously have to talk to my parents about it too." She said and he shrugged.

"You could always Imperio them."

"You are kidding I hope."

"You should know me better than that by now, Hermione." She loved it when he teased her like that and the only thing that beat it was when he kissed her which he then proceeded to do. She smiled into his lips and kissed him back, their tongues meeting in the middle and she felt his hands move to her back, pulling her closer. It felt like total bliss with his lips on hers and she felt she could finally say she was happy. There wasn't a thing to be worried about and she let herself be taken away as Malfoy trailed soft kisses down her neck. Not a thing to worry about in the world. Except her N.E.. Hermione pushed that thought away as Malfoy's hands roamed south she smiled to herself. She was happy.

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><p><strong>Okay, kind of a fluffy ending but oh well. Once again, thank you for the reviews and thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it :) I have another Dramione fic in the making so keep an eye out :)<strong>


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